After White House visit, Ben Boulware gets back to business

Tuesday

Jun 13, 2017 at 9:44 PMJun 13, 2017 at 9:44 PM

Eric Boynton Staff Writer @ericjboynton

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Just the celebratory trip to the White House with Clemson teammates he describes as “brothers” would have been more than enough to be a memorable day for Ben Boulware and any of the players.

But when President Donald Trump suddenly singled out the now Carolina Panthers linebacker, beckoning him from the group for a handshake, along with lineman Carlos Watkins, things really got surreal.

“Nobody can read plays like defensive MVP Ben Boulware,” Trump said Monday while honoring Clemson as national champions. “Where’s Ben? Carlos, get up here. You think I could take these guys in a fight? I don’t know.”

Boulware was back in Charlotte Tuesday for the start of Carolina's three-day mandatory mini-camp. Of getting some extra notoriety from the president, he said, “It did kind of catch me off guard. Just a kid from Anderson who never really expected to go to the White House, let alone be called out on stage, so it was a really cool moment and something I’ll never forget.”

Boulware got a tour of the East Wing, the Oval Office and the Capitol Building with the guide providing full descriptions of the many paintings and sculptures. Boulware said he joined coach Dabo Swinney in getting a little preferential treatment by an employee who was a Clemson alum, taking them off the regular tour into some smaller side rooms with a glimpse into some spaces not usually viewed by the touring public.

Boulware acknowledged the visit ranked way up there with the perks of winning the national title, but fell short of the feeling of actually winning the game, adding, "it was a really cool moment, but (the national championship) trumps it a little bit, no pun intended.”

Now it’s back to serious business as the undrafted free-agent signee continues his quest to stand out enough to make the Panthers' 53-man roster. He forced Tuesday’s lone turnover when he stripped a receiver over the middle and the ball was recovered by the defense.

“I definitely have a chip on my shoulder and feel mine’s a lot bigger than others,” Boulware said. “That’s how I’ve been my whole life and what’s gotten me to this point and allowed me to play at a high level. I’ve been the underdog, been overlooked through every process, and all I wanted was an opportunity and I got that and I’m looking forward to proving people wrong once again.”

He said while he’s growing more comfortable within the defensive scheme, he's felt a bond within the team since his initial arrival, describing everybody as welcoming him with open arms, adding he considered the team culture very similar to Clemson.

Boulware wasn’t as highly-touted as some of his teammates when he first arrived on the Clemson campus. He said his current situation is very similar to what he’s already been through at the previous level.

“I’ve done it before, coming from high school (to college), when you’re thinking you’re a (hot) shot. It’s the same thing. I was telling the guys the other day I’m a walk-on, especially being a free agent, and have to pay my dues and earn my right to be here day in and day out. I look forward to doing it again."

When told he sounds like a guy who truly believes he belongs in the NFL, Boulware responded, “I’ve known since day one I belong and I just have to show everyone else that.”